Hey, Lucy, I Remember Your Name
by ElodieKumari94
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia has disappeared. All they found were her keys. Everyone is certain she is dead. Natsu never got to tell her. He had never realized it until now, and now he wished he had seen it sooner. Why was it that he never knew what he had until he lost it forever? He never had the chance to tell her… and now she would never know. NaLu three-shot, based on "Lucy" by Skillet
1. Part 1

**A/N:** Hello, Fairy Tail fans! Thanks for clicking on my story! I'm a recent convert to the Fairy Tail anime and this is my first story for it. This was supposed to be a one-shot but turned into a two-shot. I know this idea is probably overdone, but I think I found my own twist to put on it that I hope everyone will enjoy. Hope you like it and please leave reviews! :)

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**Hey, Lucy, I Remember Your Name  
**by Elodie Kumari

Why did it always have to rain during funerals? Was it the Earth mourning for the soul it had lost? Was it God shedding His mighty tears with the mourners? Was the rain God's way of apologizing for taking away someone so precious to them? Natsu Dragneel could not be sure. He could not be sure of anything through the sense of déjà vu that was currently blindsiding his senses.

The whole scene was familiar. The cathedral, the headstone, the grave, the tears of his fellow guild members as they mourned their nakama… it was all very tragically, agonizingly familiar. The Dragon Slayer had never in his worst nightmares thought he would relive this memory. After Lisanna's death, he hadn't dared consider having to endure another funeral for someone he loved. Yet here he was, standing in front of another tombstone that bore yet another name of someone dear to his heart.

Since Lisanna's return from Edolas, her headstone in the church graveyard had been removed. Everyone in the Fairy Tail guild had been relieved to see that spot of ground vacated. None of them had imagined that it would so soon be occupied again. The new headstone was right in the very same spot. No one had imagined the world being so cruel to their poor guild.

Guild Master Makarov was at the front of the group, kneeling in the mud in front of the grave, his aged head bowed and his weary shoulders shaking. No one could see his expression. Natsu stood not far behind him with a grief-stricken Happy sobbing miserably on top of his head. Next to Natsu stood Gray Fullbuster, dressed in a black mourning suit, his stormy blue eyes cast into a shadow by his jet black bangs as he hung his head. The tears streaming down the ice mage's cheeks were clearly visible even with the rain. Erza Scarlet had found herself wrapped in Gray's embrace as she sobbed into his shoulder, her red hair and black dress soaking wet. Just behind the three mages, a weeping Elfman Strauss held his two grieving sisters, Mirajane and Lisanna. Levy McGarden had fallen to her knees like the Guild Master, tears streaming from between her fingers as she sobbed into her hands. Just behind her, Gajeel Redfox knelt down and put a large hand on his shoulder, his own eyes a storm of rage and pain. Pantherlily stood next to his master, his arms crossed in front of him and his head bowed in sorry. Wendy Marvell clutched a forlorn Carla to her chest and she cried into the Exceed's snow white fur. Cana, Juvia, Gildarts, and everyone else in Fairy Tail, along with the guild's friends from Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus, were also gathered in the graveyard. Everyone was dressed in black, and everyone was displaying varying states of deepest mourning.

Natsu, however, could just stare at the tombstone before him, hardly registering the words etched into the granite as a storm of emotions tore through him. "Lucy Heartfilia," the stone told him heartlessly. "Beloved Friend to Mages and Spirits, the Very Heart of the Fairy Tail Guild. X767-X784."

Natsu felt his fists tighten as the memory clawed its way to the forefront of his muddled thoughts. Just yesterday, he, Lucy, Gray, and Erza had taken a job to the canyon lands just south of Magnolia. A wild, lizard-like creature had been attacking hikers there, and a handsome fee was offered to anyone who could get rid of it. Thinking it could possibly be Igneel, Natsu had urged his team to take a job. They went and found the creature, and though it was not a dragon, it proved to be a powerful, dangerous beast that was hard to be. The four mages had fought their hardest against the monster's attacks, Erza using requip after requip and Lucy opening gate after gate as Natsu and Gray tried to take the beast down with their respective elements. The fray had led them to the edge of a canyon, right on the precipice of a very high, steep cliff.

Natsu squeezed his dark eyes shut and his entire frame began shaking as the memory engulfed him. He could still hear Lucy's voice clear as day: she was calling out to him, begging him and the others to be careful as the monster drove them towards the edge of the cliff. Natsu had attacked with his Fist of the Fire Dragon, and as the creature fell back, its long tail had whipped out toward Lucy, who had stood closest to the edge. He could still hear her scream as the tail whipped her and she was thrown back over the edge. Erza and Gray had yelled her name, and Natsu had turned just in time to see her fall through empty space, screaming and reaching out to him as her body plummeted out of sight.

After the battle, the trio had searched for Lucy all day and well into the night, still holding on to a slim hope that she had survived the fall, that maybe one of her Celestial Spirits had saved her when they couldn't. Their hopes were shot down, however, when they found her ring of keys left abandoned at the bottom of the cliff. She would never have willingly let go of those keys. Not if she was alive. It was like Lisanna all over again: not even a body was recovered.

Natsu had no idea how long he stood out there in the church yard, staring at the grave of his best friend. What did it matter, anyway? How could time just keep moving after such a tragedy had struck his life? Did it feel no remorse? No mercy? How could the world keep turning after it had lost the most precious thing it contained? How could Natsu keep on living after the one person that had kept him grounded was gone?

_My fault,_ came the accusing whisper, the same whisper that had circled the Dragon Slayer's mind since Lucy had fallen off the cliff. _It was my fault… all my fault…_

"Natsu?" Happy sniffled, his innocent, high-pitched voice choked with tears. "Natsu, everyone else has gone back inside."

It was true. Natsu had sensed the other members of the guild leaving, but he did not have the power to go with them. One by one, they had all trickled away, first Makarov, then the other mages, with Gray and Erza being the last to leave. The only living souls left in the graveyard were Natsu and Happy.

"Happy," Natsu said gruffly, reaching up and patting the blue Exceed's head, "I want you to go back to the guild, alright? I'll be there in a moment."

Natsu felt the little blue Exceed nuzzle the top of his head for a moment before opening his wings and taking off in the direction of the guild. He listened carefully as the sound of Happy's wings faded into the rain. When he was completely alone, he stepped forward until he was just in front of Lucy's grave. As he knelt down in the wet grass, not caring if his rented black suit got dirty, a flash of bright crimson suddenly caught the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he was the splash of color was a bouquet of a dozen roses clutched in his right hand. He had completely forgotten he was holding them. He had been clenching his hands so tightly they had gone numb. It was strange how vibrant and bright the flowers were amidst all the gray and gloom surrounding him, like the rain had drained all color from the world. Or maybe Lucy had taken all the color with her, just as she had brought so much color to Natsu's life when she entered it. Whether it was before he met her or after her death, Natsu's world was a dark, gray void without Lucy.

As the Dragon Slayer looked from the roses to the gravestone, he felt his hand tighten even more around the green stems stubbornly. Part of him was still unwilling to accept that she was gone. They hadn't found a body. He, Gray, and Erza had searched all day and into the night, and they had found no trace of the celestial mage. Therefore, it was possible that she was still alive and out there somewhere. He didn't want to give up until he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was alive or dead. If there was even the slimmest chance, Natsu refused to give up hope.

But as he clenched the roses, something else bit into his palm, and looking back at his hand, Natsu saw Lucy's ring of celestial keys sitting around his wrist like a bulky charm bracelet. One look at those keys, and Natsu knew she really was gone. She never would have left them behind if she was alive.

For the first time ever in his memory, Natsu lost hope.

As he reached out and set the roses before Lucy's headstone, he felt something wet hit his cheeks. This would have meant nothing to him, seeing as it was raining and all, but these raindrops were hot. They were tears. When had Natsu started crying? Had he started just now, or was it when Happy left? Or had he been crying the whole time without even realizing it? Natsu couldn't tell. Ever since the accident, he had felt nothing but numbness. Now, however, as he stared at the bright red roses, the golden keys, and the dark gray tombstone bearing his closest friend's name, he felt an explosion of agony blossom in his chest, burning his heart and lungs and organs worse than Cobra's poison flames and the Etherion combined. He tried to breathe, but his breath caught in his throat and turned into a sob, and as soon as the cry escaped his lips, he knew he was doomed. More sobs followed in quick succession, stealing his breath and making his lungs ache. His hands dug deep into the grass and mud as he fell down on all fours, shaking with uncontrollable sobs. He could smell the salt of his tears mixing with the scents of the earth, flowers, and rain as he bowed his head, his spiky pink hair hanging over his closed eyes. He let all of the anger, pain, and grief he had carried in his heart flow out of him in a torrent heavier than the pouring rain. Overhead, lightning flashed and thunder echoed through the stormy gray clouds. It was as if the storm was actually crying with him.

"Lucy…" he heard himself whisper through his sobs. _"Lucy…"_

He never told her. He had never realized it until this moment, and now he wished he had seen it sooner. Why was it that he never knew what he had until he lost it forever? He never had the chance to tell her… and now she would never know…

Natsu suddenly threw his head back and howled like a tormented soul in the deepest depths of Hell. Her name tore at his throat as he screamed it for the entire world to hear, for all the word to know his anguish. Then he collapsed into the mud again and continued sobbing his heart out, Lucy Heartfilia's gravestone glaring emotionlessly at him all the while.


	2. Part 2

**Disclaimer: Just so we're all clear, I DO NOT OWN FAIRY TAIL, ANY OF THE CHARACTERS, OR THE SONG BY SKILLET. COVER PHOTO TAKEN FROM .COM AND EDITED BY ME. ALL I CLAIM RIGHTS TO IS THE STORY IDEA, SO DON'T SUE. Thank you! :)**

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When Natsu finally found the strength to return to the guild, dressed again in his usual clothes, he discovered everyone silently sitting at the many tables in the guild hall, some with untouched mugs of beer in their hands, others just staring hopelessly at the wooden tabletops. Cana was the only one drinking - she was drinking even more than usual in fact - but no one bothered her about it; drinking was the only way she knew to drown out her sorrows. No one looked up as Natsu entered. Sitting at the table closest to the door, his back to Natsu, was Lucy's father, his shoulders slumped and head bowed miserably. Natsu was surprised to see him here; had he even come to his daughter's funeral? In front of Mr. Heartfilia was Makarov, who was sitting cross-legged on the table top with his staff resting in the crook of his arm. Makarov's eyes flickered over to the Dragon Slayer as he walked past, but Natsu found it impossible to meet them, for it was in the guild master's eyes that he could truly see the pain of a father who had lost a child.

Erza, Gray, Wendy, Levy, Gajeel, Lisanna, Juvia, and the three Exceeds were all at one long table at the other end of the guild hall. Carla was hugging a still-crying Happy, for once being understanding rather than scolding towards her blue friend. Juvia had a comforting hand on Gray's shoulder, and Gajeel had an arm draped over Levy's shoulders as the script mage leaned against the iron Dragon Slayer for support. There was one empty chair in front of Lisanna, and Natsu knew it had saved it for him. Lisanna looked up at him, but Natsu didn't meet her eyes as he sat down, and she didn't try to smile as she usually did in hard times. She understood Natsu's heart was too heavy and broken to submit to any form of comfort at the moment. Next to him, Erza rested a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it. Natsu reached up and put his hand over hers, closing his eyes and bowing his head. No words were exchanged, but there was a mutual agreement in the group to stay silent.

After what seemed like hours of sitting in this state of morning, a spotlight shone on the stage and Mirajane stepped up, a microphone held in one hand, a glass of wine in the other. "Excuse me," Mira said gruffly. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Excuse me, everyone, if I could have your attention please."

She waited until all the heads of the solemn guild members were raised before continuing. "I just wanted to say a few words. A terrible tragedy has struck our guild today..." Mira suddenly choked up, tears swimming in her azure blue eyes. She turned her face away and clapped a hand over her mouth for a moment before taking a deep breath and forcing herself to continue. "We may have only known Lucy Heartfilia for a little while, but from the moment she entered our guild, she captured the very heart and soul of Fairy Tail. She was always the one who was there to remind us who we are and what we stand for. It is a cruel thing that someone so young, so full of life and spirit, someone so precious to each and every one of us had to be taken away so soon. Her loss is most keenly felt by all of us. We will never forget our Lucy. May she live on forever in our hearts."

Tears now streaming down her cheeks, Mira held up her glass and quietly declared, "To Lucy."

"To Lucy," came the silent murmurs of the other guild members as they raised their glasses in a toast to their lost nakama.

A sudden scrape of wood against wood caused everyone to start as Natsu stood and walked toward the stage. One look at his face, and Mira knew he had something he needed to say as well.

"Mira," he murmured quietly before taking the microphone from her, "I need your help with something."

After quickly explaining what he wanted done, Mira nodded and handing the mic over to the Dragon Slayer. The other guild members watched curiously as Mira walked over to the band instruments set up on the stage and stood behind the electric piano, flipping the switch to bring it to life. Natsu grabbed the microphone stand and set the mic in its holder, then turned to Mira and nodded silently. Returning the nod, Mira rested her fingers on the keys and played a short introduction. Then, to everyone's shock and amazement, Natsu Dragneel started to sing.

"_Hey, Lucy, I remember your name.  
__I left a dozen roses on your grave today.  
__I'm in the grass, on my knees, wipe the leaves away.  
__I just came to talk for a while.  
__I've got some things I need to say."_

The other guild members stared at Natsu in astonishment. No one had ever heard Natsu sing; no one even knew he could. But Natsu paid no attention to them as he stood on the stage, his head bowed and his hands clutching the mic stand like a life line. He didn't even notice as his friends silently filed onto the stage behind him, picking up instruments of their own: Levy picked up the melody a violin, Gray got behind the drums, Erza picked up the base, and Gajeel had taken out his electric guitar. As Natsu continued with the chorus, they all filled in behind Mira and Natsu, adding their own voices to Natsu's tribute to their fallen friend.

"_Now that it's over,  
__I just wanna hold her.  
__I'd give up all the world to see  
That little piece of Heaven looking back at me.__  
__Now that it's over,  
__I just wanna hold her.  
__I've gotta live with the choices I made,  
__And I can't live with myself today._

Natsu could feel his heart hammering in his chest. The smell of salt water suddenly hit his nose, and he knew that everyone in the guild was crying again. This was more than a tribute to Lucy: this was Natsu's confession, the one thing he had never had the chance to say to his favorite blonde when she was alive. This was Natsu's last confession.

"_Hey, Lucy, I remembered your birthday.  
__They said it'd bring some closure to say your name.  
__I know I'd do it all different if I had the chance.  
__But all I've got are these roses to give,  
__And they can't help me make amends._

"_Now that it's over,  
__I just wanna hold her.  
__I'd give up all the world to see  
__That little piece of Heaven looking back at me.  
__Now that it's over,  
__I just wanna hold her.  
__I've gotta live with the choices I made,  
__And I can't live with myself today."_

By the time the second chorus had hit, everyone in the guild, including those on stage, had zoned into the music. The group on the stage played with a talent no one knew they had; especially Gray and Gajeel, who sang the background harmonies with surprising skill. No one noticed as the door to the guild creaked open and a newcomer limped inside, beaten and travel weary. A pair of exhausted brown eyes widened as they took in the scene before them, landing on the stage and Natsu last as he and his friends entered the bridge of the song.

"_Here we are,  
__Now you're in my arms.  
__I've never wanted anything so bad.  
__Here we are  
__For a brand new start.  
__Living the life that we could've had.  
__Me and Lucy walking hand in hand.  
__Me and Lucy, never wanna end.  
Just another moment in your eyes__  
__I'll see you in another life,  
__In Heaven!  
__Where we never say good-bye!_

"_Now that it's over,  
__I just wanna hold her.  
__I'd give up all the world to see  
That little piece of Heaven looking back at me!__  
__Now that it's over,  
__I just wanna hold her.  
I've gotta live with the choices I made__  
__And I can't live with myself today."_

_"Here we are, now you're in my arms.  
__Here we are for a brand new start."_

"_I've gotta live with the choices I made,  
__And I can't live with myself today."_

"_Me and Lucy walking hand-in-hand.  
__(Today) Me and Lucy, never wanna end."_

_"I've gotta live with the choices I made  
__And I can't live with myself today."_

Natsu opened his eyes and stared down at his fellow guild members as Mira played the final piano notes.

"_Hey, Lucy, I remember your name…"_he finished, his voice trailing off at the final chord.

A heart-breaking silence broke over the guild as the song echoed in the hearts of the occupants. Gray let his drumsticks fall out of his hands. Natsu gasped and tried to choke back a sob as he fell to his knees, still clutching the microphone stand for support as his body shook with grief. He could still feel the pain digging into his chest like a knife, but singing that song had helped release a milligram of the heavy weight resting on his shoulders. He had said what he needed to say. And he hoped that, somewhere above him, Lucy was smiling down and understanding the message he had sent up to her from his heart.

_I'm sorry, Lucy,_ he thought miserably. _I'm so sorry I never told you in person…_

A sudden, heart-wrenching sob reached Natsu's ears. It was so quiet, the Dragon Slayer doubted he would have heard it if not for his enhanced senses. His ears twitched and his breath caught in his throat as a sudden, very familiar smell wafted toward him. He jerked his head up toward the direction of the sound and smell, and he found himself staring at the back of the guild, at the person who had snuck in unnoticed while he was singing. He gasped again as his eyes widened to the size of saucers as he spotted the newcomer, hardly daring to believe what his keen sight was telling him.

The newcomer was dressed in the clothes he had last seen her in, though they were dirty and ripped in a few places: a pair of white and red converse, a pair of dark-wash denim shorts, and a short-sleeved red shirt bearing the logo of a rock band. Her hair ribbon had fallen out, causing her sunshine-yellow hair to tumble around her shoulders. Her hands, the back of one sporting a pink Fairy Tail mark, were clasped over her mouth as tears poured out of her wide, chocolate brown eyes.

Time seemed to freeze as the two stared at one another. Then the newcomer started running toward the stage. Erza caught the sound of footsteps and looked up, following Natsu's gaze and spotting the newcomer straightaway. She jumped and gasped loudly, clapping her hands over her mouth as tears brimmed her eyes.

"Erza?" Gray questioned with a frown before turning to see what she was staring at. His own eyes widened as he stood up, his jaw dropping to the floor. "No _way_… it can't be…"

More gasps and cries filled the guild hall as more and more people began noticing the newcomer. Cana was so shocked, she dropped her barrel of beer without even noticing it was gone. But Natsu heard none of their reactions. He saw none of the other guild members. Heck, he wasn't even sure if anyone in the world existed anymore. All he could see was the girl running toward him, all he could hear was her feet hitting the wooden floor and her shallow, ragged breathing. As he stood up on the stage, pure astonishment swept over him, nearly knocking him off his feet. This was a dream. It had to be. Some part of this _had_ to be a dream…

"_Natsu!"_ the newcomer cried as she jumped onto the stage and flung herself into Natsu's arms, knocking the microphone stand to the floor. Natsu caught her instinctively, keeping on his feet even though he inwardly felt he had just been tackled to the ground.

"_Lucy?!"_ Levy screamed.


	3. Part 3

"_Lucy?!"_ Levy practically screamed, her voice shooting up several octaves.

"Cheerleader girl!" exclaimed Gajeel in shock.

Lucy Heartfilia, perfectly alive and healthy, stepped back so she could look at Natsu's face, though her arms remained wrapped around his neck and his hands stayed around her waist. She gave him a warm, watery smile. "Natsu, that was probably one of the sweetest things I had ever heard! I don't even…" she broke off, emotion overcoming her ability to speak.

"But… Lucy, what _happened?!_" Gray shouted, not sure whether to be relieved, happy, angry, or some mix of the three. "We saw you fall… we looked for you for _hours_…"

Lucy looked back up at her favorite Dragon Slayer. "Natsu," she said, "do you remember the mission to the Everlue Mansion? It was the second mission we ever took together, not long after we met."

Still shocked beyond words, Natsu nodded once. Lucy smiled and continued, "Remember how you grabbed Virgo, and she transported you through the Spirit World?"

Natsu suddenly did a very un-Natsu like thing and understood what Lucy was trying to explain. "Loki," he gasped.

Lucy had summoned Loki to help with the battle against the lizard creature back in the canyon lands. The battle had drained his magic energy and Lucy sent him back to the Spirit World, but when Lucy fell…

"Loki had just enough strength to open his own gate and pulled me through to the Spirit World just before I hit the ground," Lucy confirmed. "It was all he could do. He had just enough energy to transport me to the other side of the canyon lands, deep in a forest. Humans aren't supposed to enter the Spirit World, so the trip drained me of energy and I lost consciousness. By the time I came to and figured out where I was, night had long since fallen. I still had no magic power and I had lost my keys, so I had to walk to the nearest town."

"But the closest town to the canyon lands is nearly thirty miles away!" Mira gasped. "And in your state, that walk must have taken you all night!"

Lucy nodded. "When I got there, the sun had just barely risen. I tried to call you guys at the guild, but no one was answering the phone…"

_Because we were arranging your funeral,_ Natsu thought, though he didn't say it out loud.

"So I got on the first train to Magnolia and came here as fast as I could," Lucy finished. "When I got off the train, somebody at the station told me the guild members were hosting my _funeral_…" she shook her head miserably. "And then I came in while Natsu was singing that song…"

Lucy and Natsu were still holding each other. Natsu's blank, slack-jawed expression of shock hadn't changed during Lucy's entire explanation. As Lucy looked back up at the Dragon Slayer, her eyes shone with warmth and remorse. "I am so sorry I worried you guys so much," she apologized in a choked voice. "I tried to let you guys know I was okay, I came back as soon as I could… I just-"

Natsu suddenly cut her off by grabbing the sides of her face and planting a kiss square on her mouth. More gasps filled the guild hall, particularly from Mira, who squealed enthusiastically at what was in her mind the union of a very obvious couple. Gray actually fell back onto the floor in shock, as did Juvia, who had considered Lucy to be her love rival for Gray since the day they had met. But no one was as surprised as Lucy and Natsu were. Natsu had wanted to tell Lucy so many things: how worried he had been, how he thought he would never see her again, how relieved he was that she was okay, how much he had missed her… but they had all jumbled up on his tongue and he couldn't get any of them out. So he had kissed her instead. He hadn't planned on doing it… he had just reacted instinctively. But he didn't regret it either. He tried to pour all of the words he had been unable to say into the kiss, and Lucy, being the intellectual analyst she was, interpreted it all perfectly. It suddenly occurred to her that the song Natsu had sung had not merely been a tribute, but a confession, something that, deep in her heart, she had been longing to hear from the Dragon Slayer for a very long time.

Natsu finally pulled away just enough to gaze into Lucy's eyes. Both of them were out of breath from the kiss, and Lucy could feel a blush crawling its way up to her cheeks as she stared at the Dragon Slayer in surprise. Natsu smiled softly, dropping one hand to her shoulder and leaving the other against her cheek, as Lucy's hands dropped to rest on his slightly exposed chest. Natsu opened his mouth to say something, but frustratingly enough, he still couldn't get anything to come out. Anything Lucy had wanted to say had been stolen from her mind with her first kiss, so all she could think to do was smile dazedly back at him.

Before Lucy could do anything else, Natsu wrapped her up in a tight hug, pulling her close to his body with one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders, his hand in her hair. After being convinced he would never hold this girl again, Natsu wanted to memorize how she felt in his arms. He never wanted to let her go, not ever again. Lucy, after another dazed second, sighed contently and wrapped her arms around Natsu's back, pressing herself closer to him and nuzzling her head into his chest, enveloping herself in the Dragon Slayer's warmth.

Gray was the first to react. He got to his feet, unaware that he was once again shirtless, and, with a wide smile on his face, slowly began to clap. The loud smack of his palms echoed through the unusually silent guild hall and seemed to awaken the guild members from their astonished daze. More people joined in the applause, and then cheers and cat calls were added as the guild grew wild with excitement and jubilation. When she heard the cheers of her nakama, Lucy pulled herself out of Natsu's embrace and turned to face her guild, a teary smile on her face as she waved at them. She was suddenly tackled from the side by Levy, who was crying freely as she clung to the celestial mage like a drowning person to a life preserver.

"I can't believe you're _alive!_" the script mage sobbed. "I thought we would never see you again! I'm so glad you're okay-!" Levy suddenly cried out in alarm as a very strong arm pulled her out of Lucy's grasp. Lucy gasped and cowered in fear as Erza stood before her, a thunderous expression on her face.

"Lucy Heartfilia, I cannot _believe _you!" the requip mage shouted. "You had me worried _sick!_ I thought you were _dead!_"

"I'm sorry!" Lucy squealed in fear. "I didn't mean to, Erza, I swear, I did everything I-"

Lucy cried out again as Erza grabbed her, but instead of killing the celestial mage, Erza pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. "Please don't ever do that to me again, Lucy!" Erza cried as more tears streamed down her cheeks. "I was so afraid you were gone forever! I don't know what we would do without you!"

"She changed moods so quickly!" Levy exclaimed as Gajeel helped her up from where she had fallen on the floor. To everyone's general shock, Gajeel was genuinely smiling at Lucy as Erza released the poor blonde.

"It's good to see you're okay, Cheerleader," he said.

"Gajeel!" Lucy exclaimed happily, clasping her hands together. "Do you mean it? You really are just a big softy!"

"Don't push your luck," Gajeel replied with a wicked smirk.

Gray was next to approach, pulling Lucy into a surprisingly warm hug. "I'm so glad you're safe!" he exclaimed, smiling broadly. "When that lizard thing knocked you off the cliff, we all thought…"

"I know," said Lucy as she hugged the ice mage. "I'm sorry I worried you."

"_LUUUUUUUUUCYYYYYYYYYYYY!"_ a very familiar voice cried, and Lucy turned and opened her arms just in time for Happy to fly into them. "Don't ever die again, okay?" the little blue cat sobbed. "I missed you too much!"

"I'll do my best, Happy," Lucy replied, cuddling her littlest friend against her chest as Natsu came up next to her, smiling and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Of course, a guild member returning from the dead could not happen without a proper guild party. Everyone went even crazier than usual as Mira and her band performed on the stage and drinks were passed around in abundance. Natsu and his friends eventually found themselves back at their table from before, smiling and chatting happily. Well, all except Natsu, anyway. He was smiling, of course – no one in the guild had a bigger smile than his at the moment – but he was unusually quite as he watched Lucy talk to her father and Gramps near the doors of the guild hall. He could see her swinging her key ring, which Natsu had given back to her as soon as he was able to, around her finger.

"So does this mean you and Lucy are _finally_ together?" Lisanna asked, nudging her childhood friend and winking teasingly.

"Oh, I don't know," replied Natsu almost dreamily. "I haven't really thought about it."

"You haven't thought about it?!" Erza repeated incredulously, banging on the table with an armored fist. "Well, you better start thinking about it before you lead the poor girl on! And Natsu Dragneel, if you break her heart, I swear I will-"

"Come on, Erza, is this really the time to make threats?" asked Gray. "Our friend just came back from the dead! Try to lighten up a bit?"

"Gray, your clothes," Wendy pointed out wearily. Gray looked down and gave a start as he realized he was only wearing his boxers again.

"Actually," Natsu suddenly said, "Erza's got a point. I'll be right back, you guys."

Natsu stood from his chair and began to make his way through the rowdy guild hall to where Lucy stood hugging her father. She seemed rather stiff and uncomfortable in the man's embrace, but she allowed it all the same. _She's beautiful, _Natsu suddenly realized. _Why have I never noticed before?_

After a short exchange with his daughter, Mr. Heartfilia turned and left the guild hall. Makarov was giving Lucy a proper welcome back when Natsu finally reached her, his arms folded over his chest and a cheeky smile on his face.

"It seems as though you have someone waiting for you," Makarov told Lucy, nodding in Natsu's direction with a wink. "You be gentle with her, Natsu. She's had a hard time."

"I was just going to offer to take her back to her apartment, Gramps," Natsu replied. Lucy beamed brightly as he held out his arm to her, and she took it, allowing him to lead her out of the guild hall and onto the streets of Magnolia. _The weather sure is being weird today,_ Natsu thought happily as they walked in the direction of Lucy's apartment. It had been pouring rain this morning, whereas now the sky was clear and sunny, as if Lucy's return had also caused the sun to shine. It certainly made Natsu's world bright again.

"Natsu," Lucy said, pulling the Dragon Slayer to a stop. He looked over to see her gazing toward cathedral. "Is it okay if we go by the church?" she asked hesitantly. "I want to see…"

Natsu frowned slightly at the thought of going back there, but he did as Lucy wanted, still leading her arm-in-arm through the city to the graveyard behind the cathedral. Lucy's face paled as they drew near her grave, and Natsu could feel her clammy hands tighten on her arm. When they finally stood before her grave, Natsu had to bite back the swarm of negative emotions that tore through him as he remembered the last time he had stood in this spot.

"It's… so eerie," Lucy murmured after a moment of silence. "To see a gravestone with your name on it…"

"We'll get rid of it straightaway," Natsu said, his voice like two rocks being ground together. "This spot will never be burdened with another headstone as long as I'm around."

Lucy looked over at him once before sliding her arm out of his and kneeling before her grave. Natsu's bouquet of flowers still sat on the ground, the red color even brighter in the sunlight, the petals still glistening with raindrops. Lucy picked up the bouquet and pressed the flowers to her face, inhaling their sweet aroma.

_Hey, Lucy, I remember your name. I left a dozen roses on your grave today…_

"Hey, Luce," Natsu said, bending down and gently taking the flowers out of her hands. "I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Yes, Natsu?" Lucy agreed, her expression betraying the hope that swelled in her heart.

Natsu's eyes flickered uneasily around the graveyard as he shook his head. "Not here," he said, taking her hand and pulling her up to her feet. "This sort of conversation should not take place in a graveyard."

Lucy nodded and followed Natsu out of the graveyard and away from the church. He still held the flowers, and he never let go of Lucy's hand. It wasn't long before they reached their destination: the park in Magnolia with the large oak tree in the middle of it. The Dragon Slayer led the celestial mage to the very base of the large oak tree, and she released his hand and leaned back against the trunk, sighing wearily. Natsu stood before her, holding the roses in both hands. Lucy noticed that the Dragon Slayer suddenly seemed nervous and shifty, and a blush was beginning to paint his cheeks the same shade as his hair.

"Look, Lucy," he began, already feeling embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I… I guess I want to start out by apologizing. If I had kept myself under control and thought through my actions, none of this would have happened."

Lucy's eyes widened. "Natsu, you don't blame yourself for me falling, do you? That wasn't your fault, you had no idea-"

"You were calling to me," Natsu continued, not meeting Lucy's eyes as he hung his head miserably. "I could hear you begging me to be careful, I saw you standing right on that ledge… but I attacked carelessly, I didn't think-"

"Shh, Natsu," Lucy hushed, reaching out and cupping her hand around Natsu's cheek. "It's not your fault. You couldn't have known that was going to happen. I don't blame you for it, and neither should you."

Natsu sighed, closing his eyes and turning his face into Lucy's palm, grabbing her hand and holding it against his cheek as his bangs shadowed his face. Without a word, Natsu held out the flowers. He had put them on Lucy's grave as a gift, but now that he could give them to her in person, he didn't want to miss the opportunity. With a smile of thanks, Lucy took them with her free hand and held them to her chest.

_I left a dozen roses on your grave today…_

"I thought you had died," Natsu muttered miserably. "I thought we had lost you forever."

"But I'm not dead, Natsu. I'm here, and I'll always be here."

"You sure about that?" Natsu asked, startling Lucy. "We've all had so many close calls, Luce. We lead dangerous lives. Who knows when one of us will disappear again, possibly forever?"

Lucy looked down at the flowers in her hand, a heavy weight suddenly pressing down on her heart. She had thought the same thing many times, but she never wanted Natsu to carry the burden of such thoughts. The pink-haired mage was tough and resilient, but in many ways he was still very innocent. He didn't think much about things that _could_ happen. His concerns belonged to the now, to the present time, to whatever action was currently taking place. Seeing Natsu looking so worried and helpless tore at the celestial mage's heart.

"And you know… after yesterday… I realized something," he added with a thoughtful frown.

"Yes?" Lucy urged gently after a short pause, her heart rate already starting to pick up its pace again as the weight she had felt suddenly drifted away. Natsu slowly raised his head and locked his gaze onto Lucy's, his eyes full of intensity and new purpose.

"That song you heard me singing back at the guild…" he continued, taking a step closer to the celestial mage leaning against the tree. "You know I was being serious, right? That I meant what I had said?"

Lucy felt her body start to shake slightly as an incredibly warmth surging through her veins like raw sunlight. She swallowed hard and nodded, trying to concentrate on breathing regularly.

Natsu surprised her again by singing: _"Now that it's over, I just wanna hold her. I'd give up all the world to see that little piece of Heaven looking back at me."_

Lucy smiled and added her own voice to his: _"Here we are, now you're in my arms. Here we are for a brand new start."_

Natsu was still moving closer. Dropping Lucy's hand, he place his on the trunk of the tree right next to her head and wrapped his other arm around her waist. He whispered, "Me and Lucy walking hand-in-hand. Me and Lucy, never wanna end. Just another moment in your eyes…"

The two mages were barely inches apart now. Natsu leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Lucy's, never breaking eye contact with the celestial mage. The Dragon Slayer wasn't nervous anymore. He was going on auto pilot now, doing and saying only whatever came to his mind. Anyone else would have felt nervous when he was in such a state, but not Lucy. Lucy knew she could trust him, now more than ever.

"You really do have the prettiest eyes I've ever seen," Natsu murmured. "And I never want to miss looking at them again. I don't ever want to go another day without you in my life." He paused for a second, a sudden concern crossing his features. "If you ever want me to stop, just let me know."

But Lucy did not say a word. She waited patiently, her heart pounding in her ears as she focused on keeping herself from hyperventilating. Finally, Natsu continued. "What I realized, Lucy, is… that I love you. I think I always have. And I'm sorry that it took having to lose you, almost forever, for me to see that."

Lucy had known it was coming, but she still couldn't stop the tears of joy springing in her eyes as she choked out a laugh. "It's okay," she replied. "I love you too, Natsu."

Those words were all Natsu needed to hear to send him soaring into pure ecstasy. He felt like he could jump right from where he stood to the top of the tallest mountain and roar as loud as a dragon at the top of his lungs in triumph. But he did something even more thrilling instead: he leaned forward and kissed Lucy again, his lips warm and fierce against her soft ones. Lucy reached up with one hand and grabbed Natsu's scarf, pulling him even closer to her and smiling to herself as she deepened the kiss. Who cared if they died tomorrow, next week, next year, in a hundred years? Here, now, at this very moment, they were together, and from that moment on, as long as they stayed together, they would go through anything.

* * *

**A/N:** So there's my first Fairy Tail story ever! Please leave reviews with compliments, comments, opinions, and/or criticisms as long as it's constructive, I'd really love to hear some feedback! NaLu 4-Ever! 3

_**REVIEW, PLEASE!**_


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